Starting-valve for compound engines.



v W. 1,-. KOVALSKY. y

STARTING VALVE FOR GOMPOUND ENGINES.

APPIJKOATION FILED JULY 27, 1909. Patented 5,

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W. I. KOVALSKY. STARTING VALVE FOR GOMPOUND ENGINES.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 27.1909.

Patented July 5,1910:

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WLADIMIR IVANOVICH KOVALS'KY, OF STANZIA ZDOLBUNOFF R. R. COLONY,RUSSIA, .ASSIGNOR T0 FEODOR A. EVDOKIMOFF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STARTING-VALVE FOR GOMPOUND ENGINES.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VVLADIMIR I. KovAL- sur, a subject of the Czar ofRussia, residing at Stanzia Zdolbunoi R. R. Colony of the SouthwesternR. R. Co., in the Empire of Russia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Starting-Valves for Compound Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for converting acompoundengine into a single engine and vice versa. Said apparatus is operatedby a manually-controlled three-way valve, and performs its functionautomatically after the three-way valve is set. This apparatus isintended to be used as a starting valve for locomotives and may beadapted to be operated from the engine cab, by the engineer.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures l and 2 represent substantiallyvertical longitudinal sections, showing the main slidevalve of theapparatus respectively in its initial or starting position for ruimingthe engine as a compound engine, and in the position for ruiming thesame as a simple engine, Figs. 3 and 4- are end-elevations, partly insection through the pistonslidevalve by which the main slide-valve :iscontrolled, showing the parts in the position shown by Figs. l and 2respectively, and Fig. 5 is a view showing the attachment of myapparatus to the high and low pressure cylinders and the boiler, thecylinders and the slide-valves being shown in section and the boilerdiagrammatically.

Similar let-ters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a cylindrical steam-chest, whichis closed at one end and provided at the opposite end with a detachablehead D. In the steamchest is guided a main cylindrical slidevalve B,which is closed at the end adjacent to the closed end of the steam-chestA, and provided at the opposite end with a piston C of larger diameterthan the diameter of the slide-valve B, said piston moving in the end ofthe steam-chest adjacent to the head D, which is made of larger diameterthan the steam-chest for the remaining portion of the cylinder A. Thecylinder A and the slide-valve B together form a four-way valve, as willappear. The piston C is con- Specifcation of Letters Patent.

Application led July 2'?, 1909.

Patented July 5, 1910.

Serial No. 509,897.

nected by means of ribs y with the cylindrical slide-valve B. In thelower part oit the steam-chest A, adjacent to the head D, is arranged acylindrical valve-box E1, which is located transversely to thelongitudinal axis of the steam-chest A, and which is connected by acentral channel H with the space between the piston C and head D. In thevalve-box E1 is arranged a slide-valve E, which is provided with threesmall pistons i, 7o and z. on the same stem.

The steam-chest A has four contiguous channels a, b, ,c and d, of whichthe channel ct is permanently connected with the atmosphere by means ofthe exhaust-pipe al connecting with the vertical exhaust pipe or nozzlea2 on the boiler Y. The port b is connected by means of the pipe b1 withthe steam-exhaust channel of the high-pressure cylinder X. The port c isconnected by means of the pipe 01 with the slide-valve chest Z of thelow-pressure cylinder L. The port Z is connected by means of the smallpipe all with the main steam-pipe x1 leading to the slide-valve chest ofthe highpressure cylinder X. The space between the piston C and head Dis connected when the piston is in the position, shown in Figs. 1 and 3,with the atmosphere by means of the central channel H, the connectingchannel e at the inside face of the valve-box E1 (see Fig. 3), and theoutlet-channel 7.

At the upper part of the cylindrical steam-chest A, in the largerend-portion of the same, is arranged a valve-box M which incloses anupwardly-opening valve F, the valve-box being closed by a plug O, whichserves for the inspection of `the valve F, the interior space N of thevalve-box M being connected by means of the duct t with the annularchannel T which communicates with the space betweenthe main slide-valveB and the piston C. The annular channel T is constantly connected bymeans of channel e, which has two openings p, 0, (see Fig.

` 3) with the end of the space in which the yallyioperated by ,anysuitable means.V The small pipe Z1,which, as stated, communicates withthe main steam-pipe m1, vis provided with a branch d2 leading to achannel t1 (see Fig. 5) leading to the spigot of the three-way cock Q.When the spigot of the three-way cock is-placed in the position "shownvin Fig. 4, it establishes, by means of the channels t1, r1 and r, thecommunication between the slide-valve chest of the main steam-pipe 001`and the space between thepiston `7L and the adjacent end of thevalve-box E1. The space between the closed end of the main-cylinder Aand the end of the main slide-valve B is connected by means of the holea* with the atmosphere.

' The operation of my improved apparatus for converting the compound.locomotiveengine into a simple one, and vice versa, is as follows:'VVhen the slide-valve B and piston C are in the position, shown inFig. 1,

, and the spigot of the three-way cock Q, is

in the position shown in Fig. 3, high-pressure steam is admitted to thelow-pressure cylinder by way ofthe small pipe d1, the port d, thechannel c and the pipe c1, but

vthe admission of exhaustisteamto the lownels zfl, r1 and 1 to the spacein which the piston 7i is located, so that the pistons L, 7c and z'assume the position farthest from the cock Q, so that the space betweenthe piston C and' head D is shut off from the atmosphere by the coveringof the channels f and a (see Fig. 4) by the piston 7c, and the space-`referredto is connected by the channel H, the space between the pistonsL' and k and :the channel l) with the steam-exhaust pipe of thehigh-pressure cylinder.

Y While the exhaust steam from the cylinder of high pressure flows intothe channel b, it enters from the channel H and thespacebetweenthepistons 71, and 7c int-o the space between the piston Cand head D so asto push the piston C and the main slidevalveB connected with ittowardthe opposite end of the steam-chest A, so that the channel?) will, bymeans of the passage bx, the'channel c and thepipe c1, be connected withthe slide-valve chest of the low-pressure cylinder; vrwhile the channelsa and d will be covered by the main slide-valve B, so thatthe engineswill workgaccording to s thegcompound system. At the same time,

theexhaust steam from the channel not only flows into the space betweenthe pistonV CV and the, head D through thewvery wide channelH, but theexhaust steam also Hows variable, being very low just before the exhaustport of the high pressure cylinder is opened and being very highimmediately after this exhaust ort is opened. Now since, as stated, theciannel H is very wide, it does not at all throttle or impede the fiowof steam from the channel b, and the great changes of. pressure of theexhaust steam are instantly communicated to all parts of the spacebetween the piston C and the head D, and, therefore, to the lower faceof the valve F. On the other hand, the channel n is, as stated, of verysmall cross-Section and the passage comprising the channels e, p, 0 andn is both narrow and tortuous and acts to very greatly impede andthrottle the flow of the steam from the high pressure exhaust,particularly acting to absorb the shock of the very high pressureimmediately after the high pressure cylinder exhaust port is opened.Because of this throttling effect of the channels e and n, theintermittent very high ypressure of the exhaust steam is notcommunicated to the space between the piston C and the valve B, thepressure in said space,and therefore the pressure on theupper face thevalve F being nearer the means between the highest and lowest pressurein the channel Z2. It is seen, then, that while thepressure in the spacebetween the valve B and the piston C, and on the upper face is Vfairlyconst-ant and considerably below the maximum in the channel b; thepressure on the lower face of the valve F is Very variable, andv is,just after the opening of the exhaust port of the high pressure, veryhiwh. Now, at this time, whenthe pressure belbw the valve F is thehighest and the pressure above the valve F is only about the average ofthe pressure in the channel Z), the steam pressing below the -valve Fforces the valve open and enters the space between the valve and thepiston C, thus yraising the pressure iu said space a little above itsaverage pressure. When-the pressure in thechannel Z) drops to itslowest, it is less than the pressure in the space betweenthe valve B andthe piston C which is, as stat-ed near the mean of the pressure in thechannel b. When this condition is reached, the pressure at the upper endof the passagecomprising the channels e' and is, therefore, greater thanthe pressure at the lower end of said passage, and when the relativepressures are thus, there `is a tendency to force out into the channel bany water of condensation which may collect at the upper end of thechan- Anel e, This tendency is repeated after` each discharge of theexhaust of the high pressure cylinder, and the space between the pistonC and the valve B is thus kept free from water of condensation. Thecondensation may be removed from the channel Z) in any convenient orusual manner.

lVhen for some reason it should be necessary for the engineer toincrease the force of the motive power of the engine and convert theengine from the compound to the simple system, then the three-way cockQ, is turned in the position shown in Fig. 3, so as to connect the spacearound the piston h by means of the channels r, o and s with theatmosphere, while the steam contained in the vchannel b acts on thepiston z, and pushes instantly the slide-valve E to the position shownin Fig. 3, the pressure on both sides of pistons z' and 7a beingbalanced. This connects the space between the piston C and the head Dwith the atmosphere by means of the channels II, z and 7. In view of thefact that the atmospheric pressure is established in this space, thesteam contained in the space between the valve B and piston C will holdthe valve F to its seat, and owing to the diiierence of the crosssectionof the slide-valve B and piston C will press more upon the piston C andret-urn the piston C, together with the slidevalve B', to the initialposition shown in Fig. l, thus introducing live steam to the slide-valvebox Z by way of the pipes w and d1, the port d, passage bx, the port cand the pipe c1, after which both cylinders run as a simple engine.Whenever it is desired to convert the simple action of the engine backto the compound action of the engine, the spigot of the three-way cock Qis turned back to the position shown in Fig. 4 as hereinbe'foreexplained.

In View of the fact that when the regulator is in closed position theengine works as a simple one, the injurious suction and compression ofthe air in the cylinder, which would take place and injuriously affectthe cylinder itselil as well as the slide-valve chests, if thelow-pressure cylinder were simply cut out and the piston allowed toreciprocate without steam, are dispensed with, so that a considerablesaving in fuel and expense and an increase in speed, when moving withoutsteam on the downward inclines of the road, is obtained. v

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by lLettersA Patent:

1. In a compound engine, the combination of a high-pressure cylinder, alow-pressure cylinder, a main slide-valve cylinder having a larger endand having a smaller end permanently communicating with the atmosphere,a hollow slide-valve in said main slide-valve cylinder having a closedend toward the large end of the main slide- Vvalve cylinder, theopposite end being open, said slide-valve cylinder and said slide-valveVforming a four-way valve adapted when in one position to establishcommunication between the exhaust of the high-pressure cylinder and theslide-valve chest of the lowpressure cylinder, and when in anotherposition to establish communication between the slide-valve chests ofthe high-pressure and the low-pressure cylinders and between the exhaustof the high-pressure cylinder and the atmosphere, a piston in saidlarger end spaced from said open end, channels communicating with thespace between saidv piston and the head of the large end of the mainslide-valve cylinder with the space between said piston and said mainslide-valve, with the exhaust of the high-pressure cylinder and with theatmosphere, a second slidevalve cylinder, and a second slide-valve insaid second slide-valve cylinder and adapted when in one position toestablish communication between the exhaust of the high-pressurecylinder and the space between said piston and the main slide-valve, andbetween the space between said piston and vsaid head and the atmosphere,and when in another position to establish communication between thespace between said piston and said head and the exhaust-channel of thehigh-pressure cylinder, and means to operate said second slide-valve.

2. In a compound engine, the combination of a high-pressure cylinder, alow-pressure cylinder, a main slide-valve cylinder having a large endand having a small end permanently communicating with the atmosphere, ahollow slide-valve in said main slide-valve cylinder having a closed endtoward the large end of the main slide-valve cylinder, the opposite endbeing open, said slide-valve cylinder and said slide-valve forming afour-way valve adapted when in one position to establish communicationbetween the exhaust of the high-pressure cylinder and the slide-valvechest of the lowpressure cylinder, and when in another position toestablish communication between the slide-valve chests of thehigh-pressure and the low-pressure cylinders and between the exhaust ofthe high-pressure cylinder and the atmosphere, a piston in said largeend and spaced from said Open end, channels communicating with the spacebetween said piston and the head of the large end of the mainslide-valve cylinder with the space between said piston and said mainslide-valve, with the exhaust of the high-pressure cylinder and with theat-mosphere, a second slidevalve cylinder, and a second slide-valve insaid second slide-valve cylinder and adapted when in one position toestablish communication between the exhaust of the high-pressurecylinder and the space between said piston and the main slide-valve, andbetween the space between said piston and said head and the atmosphere,and Whenin another position to establish communication between "theexhaust-channel of `the .high-pressure cylinder and the spaces onbothsides of said piston, means to operate said second slide- Valve, anadditional ohannel establishing Communication between' the spaces onboth sides of said piston when said piston is in 1`0 its extremeposition toward the main slide-

